Jewel of the Tooks: Diamond's Story
by the-ladyship-writers
Summary: This is a story about the girl Pippin falls in love with and later marries.
1. Beta Reader's note

Beta reader's note: 

This fic is by_ Camellia Foxburr of the Fair Downs._  She sent me, Maria, the story to post on this account. What she didn't tell me was that she hadn't spell checked or grammar checked it. I just spent about an hour and a half beta reading, so I sincerely hope you enjoy the first six chapters. BYE! 

Maria of The-Ladyship-Writers.


	2. A Rude Awakening

**By: ****_Camellia Foxburr of the Fair Downs_******

**Chapter One: A Rude Awakening**

Someone was screaming, noisily waking Diamond up. "Uh, what's going on?" she asked no one in particular. She then realized what woke her up. "Mother? Shouting? Music?" she questioned herself. There were only a few reasons for music being played in the Shire. Either it was someone's birthday or it was some sort of welcoming or going away party. She didn't really think that it could be any of the reasons, though. Ever since the bad people had come, all parties had been outlawed. _Wait a minute_,Diamond thought to herself,_ what if they are gone? _

Suddenly she realized that it might have been over. But she had to be sure. She went downstairs to find out who her mother was screaming at and why, and also why there was music being played. 

Diamond Took of Long Cleeve was a Hobbit. A Hobbit was a person, a very small person, whose average height was about 3'6". They weren't very tall creatures but they were certainly very interesting. They usually had hair ranging in color from light blonde to dark brown, which is untidily curly. One thing very interesting about their hair though, is that it grew on their feet. Yes, their feet! That is why they didn't wear shoes. They eat six meals a day with plenty of snacks in between. They live in the Shire, an out of the way part of Middle Earth, which was extremely agricultural and wholesome. But things had changed. 

A war had started in the Shire. An evil man (wizard actually) convinced one of the hobbits that he was trustworthy and corrupted the Shire and the lands and lives that they loved. They lived in fear and terror because of this man. One of the hobbits dared to stand up to him and his goblin army. His name was Paladin Took and that's how the fighting began. 

The one Hobbit who was corrupted the most was Lotho Baggins, who incidentally was the first Hobbit that he met in the Shire. Saruman (the wizard) took complete control of Lotho's mind and body, he was lost forever. He was made "Leader of the Shire," but it was not the Shire they once knew. In fact, to the hobbits it bore a closer resemblance to the fires of hell. Diamond knew all of this but she had to know more. For instance, why was her mother was shouting? She only shouted when someone was "disturbing the peace" or was getting into their vegetables, or if someone was just plain rude. 

One reason she didn't know this is that everyone in her family ignored, yelled at, or felt pity for her. You see, she wasn't exactly the child her parents had hoped for. Her younger sister, Gabrielle, was such a Hobbit. She had lovely, fine, golden, curly hair, an angelic disposition and figure, blue eyes, and all of her parent's attention. Their entire family had wondered why Diamond was not as pretty as her sister. Do not misunderstand me, she had wavy, not curly, light-brown hair, emerald green eyes, and once had a pretty figure and cheery disposition. But one event altered her situation and disposition had changed all that.

She was about 11 years old and was playing with one of her very distant cousins, Peregrine Took (Paladin's only son). They were pretending to have an "adventure" and were climbing a huge oak tree. This tree was enormous, the young boys of the Shire had even thought of building a fort on it. They were climbing this titanic tree when all of a sudden, it started to rain. It was a cold rain, piercing through her clothes, it dripped and dropped with such a force that thunder started to boom, loudly repeating itself in Diamond's head. Then there was the lightning, it struck with such a monstrosity no matter where they turned. One of these lightning bolts hit the branch on which Diamond was on. She fell and did not know when she would stop until she felt a huge thud and realized that the fall and pain was over. Or not. The branch came falling right after she did and landed with a crack on Diamond's right leg. She screeched, moaned and howled with all of her might hoping that her young cousin might help her. But he had gone. He ran away from her screams, the tree and the mere memory of her.

Her family never forgave the Tooks or Pippin (as he was called) for that day. They blamed Diamond's sorrow, her melancholy disposition and her twisted leg on Pippin. Though they should have only blamed one of the reasons on him. Her sorrow and disposition should have been blamed on her father. 

After the Incident, he kept himself happy by drinking at the Green Dragon Inn every few days. He thought that the ale might cure him of the emotional troubles he had been through with discovering that his oldest daughter was crippled and would never be able to walk without a cane or a limp. He beat Diamond and her mother because he thought that they had caused these problems. Constant shouts and drunken routs were a result of his visits to the bar. He was the person who caused his daughter's emotional troubles, bruises, and her melancholy disposition, not the Tooks. The entire Shire felt pity for her and tried to ignore her so that looking at her unhappy face might not ruin their cheerful days. 

The one thing that Pippin was responsible for was her broken leg, and leaving her there to deal with it. The doctor, who wasn't able to do much for the wound, said that it would be there her entire life. She would have to use a cane for the first few months, just to hold herself up, and to avoid too much of a limp she would have to use it in everyday life. It wasn't as though the cane were "just a stick'", which is what most of the Shire thought. It was a lovely, wholesome, and nicely carved and polished walking stick, and a means of transportation for Diamond. 

She didn't blame Pippin at all, not one bit. It was perfectly natural that he ran away from her screams, I mean, after all, they were almost deadly. She couldn't really blame him for the broken leg either. It wasn't as if he himself had broken her leg. It was the lightning-struck tree branch that did that. One other reason that she didn't blame Pippin is that he had always been one of her best friends up until that fateful day. The last reason that she could never blame Pippin is that over the past few years, though he ignored her, she had grown to admire and needless to say it, love him. Not that he would ever return the favor. I mean, Pippin was positively clueless when it came to the opposite sex. He barely paid attention to his mother, let alone his extremely distant cousin. So Diamond didn't have much hope in him, but she told herself that one day he would finally notice and appreciate her.

***************************

One year prior to the night that Diamond woke up to the strange and unexpected music, Pippin left his house, which was his alone, and not his father's. This house was rarely used and it grew to be moldy, dirty and completely unorganized. Diamond had noticed this the few times that she passed his house (she had figured out a way of going to town where she could pass by his house). 

She was very surprised at the sight of the mess and finally got so fed up with it that she felt she had to do something about it. She paid regular visits there and decided to spruce it up. She brought her supplies in her market basket so that no one would get conspicuous. Besides, it wasn't as though anyone cared about where she was. Her parents paid no attention to her or where she was going and neither did her sister. So Diamond was all alone in her obsessive renovations. She prayed that he would return from his journey and she prepared his house for his return, but the Shire acted as though he were already dead. 

Or so they thought.


	3. An Interesting Confrontation

**Chapter Two: An Interesting Confrontation **

Diamond wrapped her warm, knit, wool shawl about her shoulders, grabbed her ornately carved walking stick, and slowly made her way down the wooden stairs, quietly, so she wouldn't disturb Gabrielle. She then made her way through the doorway, onto their front porch, and started to ask her mother," Mother, what in heaven's name is going on out here?!"

She then looked up and realized who her mother was attempting to get off of their lawn. They were hobbits, no doubt about that, but some of them were wearing the strangest things. All of them appeared to be somewhat intoxicated and slightly cross. The two tallest of the group were wearing mail shirts and carried shields and sheathed swords. All of the hobbits except for these two were singing some sort of a drinking song (she recognized the tune because her father sang tunes similar to these when coming back from the Green Dragon Inn). The taller (and younger, by the looks of it) of the mail shirt-wearing hobbits was yelling at her mother and was apparently explaining why they were there.

"Come off it, miss! We just got finished fighting a bloody War!" the young hobbit said.

"Watch your language. That is a lady you are talking to!"  His friend harshly whispered to him. 

"Yes, I'm a gentlewoman and I would be 'gentle' to you if you weren't so insistent on ruining my lawn!" her mother shouted angrily back.

"Mother, leave the gentlemen alone I'm sure they meant no harm, I mean after all, they just fought a war. That is what you said, isn't it?" Diamond said to the loud mouthed soldier. She also added, "I'm so sorry for what my mother has said, in case she might have offended you or anything and—" Diamond just then realized who the younger looking hobbit was. It was Pippin. She managed to stammer his name out before her mind froze, her mouth stopped working, and she fainted.

"AAAAAAAAAAAGHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YOU KILLED MY BABY, YOU MONSTER!!!!!!!!! YOU UNCARING PERSON! TO TAKE THE LIFE OF A MOTHER'S OLDEST DAUGHTER IS JUST PLAIN CRUEL!!!!!!! I'LL NEVER FORGIVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!" her mother screamed at the now frightened Took.

"Mother, what is going on out here? I heard you and Diamond and—" Gabrielle paused when she saw Pippin. 

She had just gotten outside and was wondering the same thing Diamond was wondering a few minutes ago, "Are you the person who did this to Diamond?! Because if you are then this will be the second time that you have been responsible for hurting her, and believe me if Mother doesn't kill you, then our father will." 

She then paused, but only for a fraction of a second, "Hey! Your family still thinks that you are dead! If you don't go over there right now then I shall make you because trust me your sisters look absolutely awful in black and they need to know that you are alive!"

Pippin was so flabbergasted by what these women were saying about him that he was speechless. What Diamond's mother had said was so cruel and what Gabrielle said he couldn't even understand because she was talking so fast. But Meriadoc Brandybuck, his friend, finished his thoughts for him.

"What in the Shire are you talking about? What did he ever do to this young woman that you should despise him for?" he said to Diamond's mother and Gabrielle.

"Well," said Gabrielle, "He obviously doesn't tell you much, now does he? For your information he is the person responsible for making Diamond crippled. He—" and she went on too tell Merry (for that was what he was called) about the tragic event that occurred when Diamond was 11 years old," So don't you dare blame any of this on her!" 

"I'm horribly sorry for upsetting you miss, but I didn't mean any harm. Pippin is usually a little daft, even I'll admit that, but it wasn't his fault that your sister fainted. She just saw him and stuttered . . ." Merry trailed off.

"Is _that _what happened? Well, in that case Mother I don't know what you're so worried about. She's fainted dozens of times before." and to Pippin she added," I'm so sorry for yelling at you."

At that instant, Diamond decided to wake up from her 'peaceful' slumber and see where all of the loud noises were coming from. She opened her eyes and saw that her mother was standing over her. Whimpering. Gabrielle was accepting an apology from Pippin. She also saw that the drinking songs had stopped. "Mother, why are you crying? I'm not dead." Diamond said clearly.

Everyone on the lawn stared at her in awe. Pippin looked extremely surprised, but oblivious. Merry looked surprised and relieved. Gabrielle looked as happy as ever to see her sister awake and was about to introduce her to the young man that she had just been arguing with (Merry, not Pippin). Diamond was mainly wondering what was going on, why Gabrielle was awake, and who these people were on their front lawn along with Merry and Pippin. She could have sworn that she was extremely quiet when walking down the stairs so as not to wake Gabrielle up.

"What are you doing down here Gabrielle?" Diamond asked, completely puzzled by this whole affair.

"Explaining to this young 'soldier' how you broke your leg. I got a little worried for you after I had heard what they had been shouting." Gabrielle said rather defiantly for a young girl of 16.

"Well then I guess I should thank you Gabrielle, so thank you." Diamond told her sister. "Now as for you," she said looking at Merry and Pippin, "what exactly are you doing on our lawn at this time of night?" Diamond said in a rather irritated voice.

"We've just saved the Shire from mass destruction. Or in Pippin's words, 'We've just finished fighting a bloody war'. We've won the battle of Bywater against 'Sharkey' and his minions. We were very tired so we decided to walk home after a very hard day of fighting. Since your lawn looked more comfortable than the battlefield, we decided to rest here before heading to Buckland. If we have caused you any inconvenience or lost you any sleep, complain to Pippin because he was the one who insisted on visiting the Green Dragon before heading home." Merry said with great clarity and alacrity.

Diamond on the other hand was quite speechless. I've never heard anyone talk like that around the Shire before. He probably learned it when he was on his journey. Yes, that's it. He expresses himself very different from Pippin. In fact, they are almost the opposite. It is amazing that they are best friends. Diamond thought to herself before saying—

"No, you didn't cause us any inconvenience, you just lost us about an hour of sleep, and you lost my mother her patience," she said smiling. "But we really must get back to sleep. Feel free to sleep on the lawn for tonight, but only for tonight. If my father finds you, you might as well be dead. Good night." Diamond added to the kind, yet obnoxious soldiers. At that she, her mother, and Gabrielle, walked back into the house.


	4. The Awful Realization

**Chapter Three: The Awful Realization**

"What was that supposed to be about? Inviting them to sleep on our lawn without my permission?" Diamond's mother bellowed. She then changed to a softer tone," But you did the right thing, love. After all, they did save us from that dreadful man and his hordes. If this is a way that we may repay them, then so be it." She almost glowed with pride at her oldest daughter's brilliance.  "You were so brave out there, dear. I almost didn't recognize you."

"Well, mother, I—" Diamond started, but her mother cut her off.

"And you Gabrielle, I was so proud of you standing up for your sister. In fact, I almost helped you. She did stand up for you, you know, after that dreadful Brandybuck insulted you. But I had warmed up to that young man by the end of the eve, for he is quite charming, isn't he girls?" Mrs. Long Cleeve spoke so fast that her daughters barely noticed the question, but they both nodded, quickly, silently and speechlessly.

"Now run off to bed so that you don't lose anymore hours of sleep. We also don't want your father to find out about this, now do we?" Mrs. Long Cleeve said in a booming and wholesome tone of voice.

" No Ma'am," the two young women replied with quiet voices ,dreading the possible outcome of what might happen if their father happened to find out about their new 'friends'. They hurried up the stairs obediently to their bedrooms, not wanting to hear anymore of what their mother had to say for fear that it might lead to finding a match for the girls and the fact that Diamond may never have a chance at getting a husband. 

******************

Diamond's room was small, yet comforting. She had wooden walls and floors covered with rugs that she had made along with her mother. Her bed was covered with a thick, wool, navy-colored comforter which you could barely see underneath the quilt that Diamond had made when she was 15. 

Her window provided her with an excellent view of the road, the front lawn, and the Bywater Pool, which was more like a lake than anything else. She had a nice wood stove positioned in the corner, right near her bed. In the corner opposite that of the stove, Diamond had stacked her collection of 'treasures'. She stacked her cane, her crocheted shawls and cloaks, and her quilts. 

Her mother had encouraged Diamond and Gabrielle to do something such as sewing to make them seem more accomplished. Therefore, Gabrielle satisfied their mother's wishes by taking up embroidery and Diamond with quilting and crocheting.

When Diamond entered this bedchamber, she felt a sense of security, privacy, and warmth. She limped to her bedside, laid her cane on the night stand, lit the fire in the wood-stove, and blew out her candle. Lastly she said a prayer to Eru, the One, the deity that placed them on Middle Earth. She had been praying much more frequently to Eru, particularly praying that people (especially Pippin) would appreciate her. And her Prayers had already begun to be answered, for her mother and sister were never as nice to her as they were that night.

*********************

Her father was so intoxicated that he didn't even notice the soldiers on his front lawn, though he tripped over quite a few of them. He went up to his bedchamber without a word being said. Their secret was safe. Diamond woke up at about 8 o'clock the next morning, feeling that she might not need her cane for she was feeling fine. The doctor said that she only had to use it when necessary and she did. She got dressed in a cream colored chemise, a cranberry colored jerkin, and a dark wine colored skirt. She turned off the stove and set off down the stairs.

Her father had already left for his work at the market. Her mother was downstairs, happily humming and making breakfast. Gabrielle was at the table, quickly eating her breakfast. Diamond asked her sister, "Why are you eating so fast? You aren't going anywhere today are you?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact, I am. I'm going over to the Tooks' house to tell them the 'wonderful news' of their son being home and alive, since he's probably too stupid to tell them himself, he doesn't live there anymore anyway." Gabrielle replied politely. She also added," Don't know what's up with mother, she usually isn't this cheery. She's probably happy because we got away with Father not knowing about the soldiers." 

Diamond hadn't heard a word Gabrielle had said after Gabrielle had said Pippin was not living at his family's house anymore. _What if he finds out about what I did to his house? I didn't leave any sign of my being there. It's just a lot tidier, that's all. He won't notice anything. And besides, it's not as if I left anything of my belonging there. _She gasped out loud. _The Quilt!_ _I almost forgot! Oh well, he doesn't know what those initials stand for. And even if Merry sees them he won't know who made the quilt. But their friends might!_ Diamond panicked. The last time she was at his house she left a quilt that she had made for him. But her mother interrupted her thoughts.

"Oh, by the way Diamond, I need you to go to the bakery to get some bread if you don't mind." her mother said, awaking her from her overwhelming thoughts. 

"Of course, mother," she called. When she stepped outside however, she saw the most frightening sight: the soldiers were gone.They had set off without a trace, exactly as they had promised and Diamond was furious with them for doing so.


	5. Diamond is Rescued

**Chapter Four: Diamond is Rescued**

Diamond set off to Tuckburough as fast as her small and feeble legs were able. With every step, she cursed Pippin. _How dare he, _she thought, _I never would have thought him as thick as this_. _Why doesn't he think before doing things? Hello! Nothing could have made him stay here. He was only going to sleep on the lawn, not stay for a week. But he should have at least thanked them for their hospitality. Stupid girl! This is Peregrine Took we are talking about, not Saint Pippin of Tuckburough! He doesn't even know what manners are. Stupid boorish pig! Brainless fool! _

But these thoughts were emptied when she finally got to his house. She crept over near the circular window and crouched down. As she looked through the panes she was surprised to find out that she was so close to the wall that she could here someone talking, two someones in fact. She realized that Merry was in there with Pippin. 

"Hey Merry!Why does the house look so clean?" Pippin called. 

"Because it **is** clean, Pip. I didn't know your sisters were **this **nice. My family never did anything like this for me." Merry said.

"They** aren't** this nice. What is going on, Merry? I don't like seeing my house so clean_. _I feel like my privacy has been intruded upon."

"Where did you learn to say words like that? Has Frodo been teaching you to sound respectable? He should know that it isn't going to work. Besides, your house doesn't look that bad Pip, honestly. Now if it wasn't your sister that did this, then who did? "

"I dunno. Wait a minute…What's this?" Pippin said, holding up what appeared to be a quilt.

_Oh No! I did left it in there! How could I have been so stupid? I hope they don't know whose initials those are! _Diamond panicked inside her thoughts. 

"Merry, what does D.T.L.C. stand for?" Pippin said dumbfounded. 

"They are probably the initials of whoever made the quilt. Do you know anyone with a name starting with a D?" Merry questioned_._

"A D? No. But Frodo would, wouldn't he? He knows practically the whole Shire being appointed deputy mayor and all," Pippin suggested.

"That's the first good idea you've had all day. Frodo probably would know, after all, not only is he the deputy mayor, but his uncle kept a list of everyone in the Shire. Let's go!" And so Merry and Pippin set off for Bag End.

_NO! You aren't supposed to be that smart! Why did you have to find out a way to decipher those initials? Why did you have to have a somewhat intelligent idea** now**? _Diamond thought furiously. She crawled away from the spot where she was at, got up, and walked out to the road and saw none other than Rosie Cotton coming up the row.

Rosie Cotton was the prettiest girl in the Shire. She had rosy cheeks, curly blonde hair, and had eyes the color of the ocean. She was Farmer Cotton's only Daughter and was admired by everyone in the Shire. She was also one of the very few people who were friends with Diamond after the incident. Rosie was always there for Diamond after she got hurt. After the nights that Mr. Long Cleeve beat Diamond, Rosie was always there to support her and nurse her back to health. Rosie was Diamond's true friend. She always helped her in a time of need and Diamond needed her help more than ever right at that moment. 

"Eru Illuvatar! Rosie, I am in a lot of trouble. Pippin found out", Diamond said in an extremely worried tone of voice.

"What do you mean he found out? Did he find out that you renovated his house? Or did he find out that you like him?" Rosie asked.

"He saw that his house was a lot cleaner **and **he found the quilt." 

"What quilt? Oh no, don't tell me you made him a quilt, Diamond," Rosie said exasperated. 

Diamond nodded guiltily, "I got inspired when I was over there one day."

"They don't know it is yours do they?"

"They don't know…yet. I left my initials on there and they are going to ask Frodo Baggins whose initials they are. They left five minutes ago." Diamond was almost in tears now.

"Maybe it isn't as bad as you think. The whole Shire won't think the lesser of you. They won't care if you like Pippin or not." 

"Yes, they** will**! They will find out I like Pippin and my life will be more miserable then it is now. Plus, his friends will tease him and me about it. My life is ruined." Diamond said hopelessly.

"No, it isn't. There has to be a way to get out of this. Wait a minute...Sam and Frodo are best friends, if I could persuade Sam to tell Frodo not to tell the Shire then maybe you will be off the hook." Rosie said with a hopeful look in her eye. Sam was in love with Rosie and they were probably going to be married by the end of the year.

"There is only on problem with that Rosie, They are already gone. The only way we could save my reputation is if we got there before they did. We could only do that if we had a pony and a cart." Diamond said

Just then, Rosie's brother, Tom, came with his horse cart and was whistling a happy tune. Diamond and Rosie both smiled mischievously at one another.

"Tom!" Rosie called. "May we borrow your cart please?" 

"Sure Rosie, What for?" Tom said as he got out of the cart. 

"Never mind that, I just need it, that's all." 

"Very well then, you do know how to drive this don't you?" Tom asked Rosie after she and Diamond were in the cart.

"I think I've got the hang of it," Rosie said. "Good day, Tom!" And they were off.

Or not.


	6. The Horse Cart

**Chapter Five: The Horse Cart**

They were doomed from the start. Rosie didn't have the slightest idea as to how to drive a horse cart. She had lied so that they could have a faster trip to Bag End.

"What do I do Diamond?" Rosie asked anxiously.

"Well you could start by shaking the reins and saying go. I've seen my father drive our horse carts loads of times." Diamond suggested. She then added, "Why didn't you tell me that you couldn't drive a horse cart before?"

"All right then. Go!" Rosie shouted proudly. But as soon as she did that the pony took off at breakneck speed. The two girls were bouncing up the road as the pony dashed and tugged their cart forward with a jerk. They jerked to the left and to the right, hoping and praying that people were not in the road. The road was also muddy since two nights before, it had rained. They splashed mud everywhere they went. There were chickens in their path but that didn't register in Rosie's mind. Her thoughts were more preoccupied with the thought of getting to Bag End and saving Diamond's reputation.

" AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHH!!!!!!!!!!! ROSIE ARE YOU INTENTIONALLY TRYING TO KILL US?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Diamond shouted in confused fury. And she added, " I thought you said you knew how to drive a horse cart?!"

"I said I did but that doesn't mean I can," then Rosie paused, "Oh, No!"

Suddenly Diamond realized why Rosie said that. They had entered Hobbiton but they were going in the opposite direction of everyone else. They kept going and finally learned how to steer…somewhat. They dodged venders and marketers only with Diamond's help since Rosie wasn't doing anything but screaming. They were able to dodge the people who didn't listen to Diamond's shouts.

"Rosie watch out! I'm so sorry Master Proudnick! Rosie go left! No, your other left! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!" Diamond screamed in an effort to make up for her directionally challenged friend.

"Is this the way you steer it, Diamond? Or is it this way?" a confused Rosie said anxiously. 

They were already almost to Frodo's house but were almost running people over in the process. Everywhere they seemed to turn there was a new 'object' to run into or destroy. Diamond had to shout at the innocent civilians to make them move out of harm's way. They were splattering everyone with either mud, dust, or chicken feathers. Some of the mud covered civilians happened to be Pippin and Merry.

"Diamond we're almost there! Just another mile and we'll be there! Aren't you glad we took the horse cart?" Rosie said proudly.

Diamond wasn't exactly sure on that matter because she was too busy shouting at the citizens of Hobbiton. She was, frankly, very upset with Rosie because even if they did get to Bag End on time, they still stood the chance of being arrested.

But when they finally got to Bag End there was only one problem. The pony wouldn't stop. It was heading straight for Bag End!!!!!!!!!

"AAAAAAAGH! DIAMOND WHAT DO I DO?!!!!!!!!!!" Rosie screamed in fear.

Diamond grabbed hold of the reins fiercely and tugged them with a jerk to the left. The pony was still running but at least Bag End was safe. Or not. Farmer Proudfoot's Barn wasn't safe that's for sure. The pony was running at breakneck speed. It crashed through the doors of the barn and only stopped after it had run into the milk cow named Flossie and the barn wall. The girls stopped with a sharp halt and flipped over the board dividing them form the pony. 

"Well, that wasn't so bad!" Rosie said excitedly, "At least we aren't dead." 

Diamond was going to agree with Rosie until she heard something. It was dozens of angry shouts. All of these shouts she recognized. They were the voices of the very old and much respected women of the Shire that were always in charge of town meetings. And Diamond knew that they were not coming to speak to them about their invitation to an upcoming party.

"What were you thinking girls?!"

"You almost destroyed a Shire landmark!"

"Rosie Cotton, I had expected better from you!"

"We shall speak to the mayor about this!" 

"You shall receive some harsh punishment for this!"

"Is that Farmer Proudfoot's milk cow?"

"What are you doing in my barn?!" Farmer Proudfoot exclaimed.

"Sir, we were just 'discussing' what to do with these young troublemaking ladies. Perhaps you would like to discuss what their punishment shall be. We were hoping to discuss it with the mayor," the leader of these old crones said.

"Why I'd be delighted. If they could work out in the fields—" Farmer Proudfoot then saw the condition of Diamond's leg and silenced himself.

"Yes, it would have to accommodate Miss Long Cleeve's current disability, but I'm sure we could think of something," The leader of the crones said with a sly grin.

The women and Farmer Proudfoot then extracted the girls from the heap of straw and ushered them out the door. But what Diamond saw made her wish that she had never made that quilt. 

A mud splattered Meriadoc Brandybuck and Peregrine Took were greeting Frodo Baggins and entering his house. And Diamond knew they weren't just going to have a cup of tea. 


	7. The Council of Frodo

**Chapter Six: The Council of Frodo**

Diamond and Rosie were escorted to the town hall to receive punishment the next day. The room had an odd, musky, dry scent to it. It smelled of barley, as though ale had been sipped there. And it had. The men of Isengard (the wizard's city) had treated the hall as though it were a pub. The room reminded Diamond and Rosie of what terror had been unleashed on their home. However, their minds were more preoccupied with the previous events. 

The old women who had accused them was there to preside over the meeting and to serve as the prosecutor in the case. Another one of the prosecutors was Farmer Proudfoot, the man whose milk cow they killed and whose barn they destroyed. From then on they felt as though they were doomed. 

Their defender was Samwise Gamgee, who came to help Diamond and Rosie, mainly Rosie. He had only met Diamond that morning but was very kind to her just the same. _Perhaps their quest had effects on all of the hobbits who went on it, _thought Diamond. Sam was somewhat plump, with a kind face, light brown hair, and a kind heart. He was determined to get Rosie out of too much punishment and her friend along with her. Their parents were not going to defend them, ashamed of their daughters' disgraceful situation. 

The jury consisted of wise men and women of the Shire that could not be swayed since they hadn't witnessed any of the events. The only person they were waiting for was the judge. 

At length, their judge did arrive. The hobbit had bright blue eyes. Yet no matter how bright they were, they still appeared troubled, focusing on something very far away. He had a kind face to cover up his sadness, and was currently animatedly talking to Sam. They were side by side though almost all of their journey, Sam had told them. His head was full of dark, chocolate-brown curly colored hair and amiable features that made him appear younger than he actually was—fifty one years old. 

After conversing with his gardener and best friend, Frodo Baggins, the deputy mayor of the Shire and Bilbo Baggins' cousin, took his seat in the chair reserved for the judge. Their chairs were placed in a circular arrangement around a very large, round table. Frodo was at the head of the table, with the prosecution on the right hand side of him and the defendants on the left. 

"Now then, what exactly is the case of your discontent, Mrs. Proudnick?" Frodo asked with a slow, clear tone of voice. 

"Well, young Master Baggins, from what I saw of it, these young women here," she leered at Diamond and Rosie, "were riding in what appeared to be a horse cart at a tremendously fast speed that scared many of our Hobbiton citizens witless. They 'tried' to avoid hitting people and luckily succeeded. After they passed us, they kept right on going onto your house, Master Baggins, and were about to hit it when the horse sharply turned and hit Farmer Proudfoot's barn and sadly, his milk cow," Mrs. Proudnick finished. 

"Well," Frodo said with an alarmed, yet amused look on his face, "That is harsh. However, I would still like to hear Diamond and Rosie's side of the tale. I do not believe they were planning to harm me. That is true, of course?" Frodo added, looking at the young ladies, who nodded, "Since that is confirmed, please enlighten us with your excuse for such 'outlandish' behavior," Frodo said with laughing eyes. 

Rosie spoke for them, Diamond relieved. "Sir, I had never driven a horse cart, so I wanted to start to learn yesterday. However, I didn't know how bad I was. We only didn't hit your house because Diamond turned the cart at the last minute. We didn't know how to stop and we accidentally hit the barn and the milk cow because that was the direction we were going and we couldn't stop. By the way, Farmer Proudfoot," Rosie added to the still angry farmer, "I'm very sorry about your milk cow. If we could do community service to pay for a new cow, I think that would settle this. That is, if you don't mind," Rosie said to Frodo.

Frodo paused for a moment. His eyes looked thoughtful, but appeared to be thinking of something farther from the Shire. Then the depth of his blue eyes subsided and he smiled. "Well, this is a predicament, isn't it? A milk cow dead, Farmer Proudfoot's barn being reduced to a pile of toothpicks and the entire Hobbiton main road covered in mud and chicken feathers. However, they didn't steal anything, and from what I have heard, Flossie hadn't been giving very much milk lately. Honestly ladies, I think I played worse pranks when I was younger. One other factor to consider is if these ladies were convicted, how would you punish Diamond? Her leg is quite a setback to her doing any hard labor and these girls deserve equal punishment. I think we should give them some community service that Diamond will be able to handle. Diamond, am I right in knowing that you can quilt?" 

Diamond nodded quickly but wondered how he knew that. 

He then continued. "Since Quilting requires quite a bit of creativity, I was wondering if you would be willing to accept as your community service to decorate Brandy Hall for the ball that is going to be celebrated there in honor of the soldiers who fought in the battle of Bywater. You would, of course, be invited to the ball as well." 

Rosie nodded excitedly and Diamond was about to when she realized that Brandy Hall was where Merry lives, and wherever Merry went, Pippin followed. Diamond felt her heart sink lower in her chest. If there was one thing she knew, then it was that she would rather have both of her legs broken than to be found out.


End file.
